Business
Emirates boosts services to Melbourne adding second daily A380 flight
Emirates has announced the second daily flight on its Dubai-Melbourne route, served by its flagship A380 aircraft. Starting 1 May, the airline will offer customers fourteen weekly services from Dubai to Melbourne. The expansion of services is supported by the Victorian Government to help fast-track the return of international flights to Melbourne and bring more visitors to the state.
The additional daily frequency between Dubai and Melbourne will grow Emirates’ seats to over 1,000 a day totalling 700,000 a year between the airline’s global Dubai hub and Victoria, with 516 seats on each flight. Travellers can choose from 14 First Class suites, 76 lie-flat seats in Business Class and 426 ergonomically designed seats in Economy Class. Tickets can be booked on emirates.com, the Emirates App, or via both online and offline travel agents.
From 1 May, Emirates’ additional daily flight will depart Dubai daily at 10:05hrs, arriving in Melbourne at 05:30hrs the next day. From Melbourne, the flight will depart at 05:15 and arrive in Dubai at 13:10hrs. The additional flight will join the existing service which flies daily from Dubai, departing at 02:40hrs and arriving at 21:50hrs in Melbourne. From Melbourne, the flight departs at 21:15hrs and is scheduled to arrive in Dubai at 05:15hrs the next day. All times are local. The addition of the second daily A380 service will also offer customers more convenience with the option of choosing a morning or evening flight, for optimal onwards connection opportunities when they stop in Dubai.
Before the pandemic, international flights brought more than 3.1 million visitors to Victoria each year and injected $8.8 billion into the economy. Emirates carried 22 per cent of the 1.3 million passengers that arrived in Victoria from key European countries such as Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands and Switzerland, which added $86 million to the Victorian economy in 2019.
Barry Brown, Emirates Divisional Vice President for Australasia said: “As an international airline that has been serving Australia for over 25 years, we are especially delighted to boost our services to Melbourne, adding yet more seats and flight options to the Victorian capital. Our second daily A380 service reaffirms our ongoing commitment to Australia and our loyal passengers as demand for international travel continues to increase. The newly expanded flight schedule also means our customers can experience three continents in one day, enjoying their breakfast in Australia, lunch in Dubai, and dinner in Europe.”
“Emirates’ inaugural flight to Australia arrived in Melbourne in 1996. Since then, we have carried more than 11 million passengers on this key route and we are delighted that Victorian travellers and businesses can continue to enjoy the global reach that our expansive network offers.”
Emirates’ increasing operations
With Australia being the third-largest destination for Emirates’ A380 operations, the airline has been continuously committed to increasing flights to Australia which will soar to 42 weekly flights in May, with the airline’s flagship flying to Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. From then Victoria and News South Wales capitals will be served by twice daily flights and the Queensland capital once daily, operating on the iconic A380 aircraft.
Business
Sri Lanka Tourism makes a strong impression at CMT 2026 in Stuttgart, Germany
Sri Lanka Tourism marked its presence at CMT 2026, held in Stuttgart, Germany, one of the largest consumer travel fairs in Europe. The Sri Lanka Stand accommodated representatives from the local tourism industry, providing a valuable platform to connect directly with the German travel community, particularly travellers with long-haul travel intentions.
Sri Lanka’s participation at CMT 2026 enabled direct engagement with consumers and helped stimulate interest in exploring the country’s diverse and year-round travel experiences. This presence addressed a long-standing need for Sri Lanka Tourism to participate in major consumer-focused travel platforms, effectively taking destination promotion directly to the travellers’ doorstep.
A wide range of travel packages, customised itineraries, accommodation options, and experiential offerings were presented to interested German consumers by Sri Lankan DMCs, under the umbrella of Sri Lanka Tourism. The platform also allowed potential travellers to clarify concerns and queries related to planning travel to Sri Lanka through direct, face-to-face interactions with industry professionals.
These direct engagements enabled Sri Lankan industry participants to gain valuable insights into emerging travel interests, changing consumer behaviour, and evolving customer expectations in the German market. The face-to-face discussions with end consumers strengthened the industry’s understanding of demand trends and product requirements.
Strategically, Sri Lanka Tourism’s focus on B2C promotions serves as a catalyst for strengthening B2B platforms, ensuring that final decision-makers—the travellers—are actively engaged alongside trade partners. This alignment enhances the overall effectiveness of trade collaborations. Well-designed consumer promotion activities, including giveaways, contests, experiential engagements, and cultural performances, created emotional connections with visitors, improved destination recall, and reinforced Sri Lanka’s positioning as a compelling long-haul destination. (Sri Lanka Tourism)
Business
Adora raises the bar for hospital-backed aesthetic care in Wattala
Dr. Piyumini Gunasekara on advanced non surgical treatments
Hemas Hospitals has strengthened its regional healthcare positioning with the launch of Adora Cosmetic Centre at Hemas Hospital Wattala, introducing a hospital-backed, clinically governed model of aesthetic medicine at a time when South Asia’s cosmetic sector is expanding faster than regulation.
Unlike standalone cosmetic clinics, Adora is fully integrated into the Hemas Hospital ecosystem, embedding aesthetic services within hospital-grade infrastructure, multidisciplinary medical support and internationally aligned clinical governance.
Speaking at the launch, Dr. Lakith Peiris, Managing Director of Hemas Hospitals & Labs, said the centre represents a deliberate shift in strategy.
“Adora is not about cosmetic enhancement alone. It is built on protocols, trained clinicians and governance. As healthcare providers scale across the region, safety and medical credibility must remain non-negotiable,” he told The Island Financial Review.
The centre is positioned as a health-class facility, combining advanced aesthetic technologies with evidence-based medical pathways. This approach addresses growing regional concerns over unregulated cosmetic practices, offering patients reassurance through professional oversight and ethical medical standards.
Prabhan Gunawardena, Director General Manager of Hemas Hospital Wattala, said the initiative reflects both clinical responsibility and business foresight.
“The cosmetic industry is evolving rapidly across South Asia. Adora demonstrates how innovation can be scaled responsibly when anchored in medical expertise and hospital governance,” he said.
Detailing the centre’s scope, Dr. Piyumini Gunasekara, Medical Officer – Adora Cosmetic Centre, said treatments are designed to address medical and aesthetic concerns through personalised, evidence-based care.
She told The Island Financial Review:”We offer advanced non-surgical treatments for concerns such as hyperpigmentation, acne and acne scarring, fine lines and wrinkles, collagen loss, enlarged pores, rosacea, UV damage, excessive sweating, warts and moles. Every procedure is clinically assessed and delivered within a hospital-backed framework to ensure safe and sustainable outcomes.”
Clinical governance remains central to operations, reinforced by Dr. Malith Atapattu, Director – Medical Services and Quality, who highlighted the importance of protocol-driven care in a sector often challenged by inconsistent standards.
As Sri Lanka positions itself as a regional healthcare and medical tourism destination, hospital-led aesthetic centres such as Adora signal a broader industry shift—where growth is aligned with governance, trust and long-term sustainability.
For Hemas Hospitals, Adora represents a calculated entry into a high-growth segment without compromising medical integrity. For the region, it underscores a clear message: the future of aesthetic care lies in hospital-backed, clinically governed models—not cosmetic shortcuts.
By Ifham Nizam
Business
John Keells Consumer Foods Sector dominates SLIM National Sales Awards 2025 with landmark wins
The John Keells Consumer Foods Sector (JKCF) has reinforced its standing as a powerhouse in Sri Lanka’s FMCG industry with an exceptional performance at the SLIM National Sales Awards 2025, securing an impressive total of 27 awards. This remarkable achievement reflects the sector’s unwavering commitment to building high-performing teams, nurturing sales excellence, and driving sustained growth across its diverse business verticals.
Representing the iconic brands of Ceylon Cold Stores PLC (CCS), Keells Food Products PLC (KFP), and Colombo Ice Company (CICL), JKCF has long been recognized for its rich legacy of innovation and leadership in beverages, frozen confectionery, and processed foods. Its long-standing focus on people capability and performance culture continues to fuel industry-leading achievements, with the latest recognition at SLIM NSA 2025 marking one of the largest collective wins by a single organization in the event’s history.
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